Intel Core i3-9300 vs Intel Core i7-3770S Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data sets these two processors very close together. Across all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, the Intel Core i3-9300 wins every round, but the margins are consistently small. The largest advantage is a 2.7% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core, while the other five tests show leads between 2.3% and 2.4%. The average benchmark score tells a similar story: the i3-9300 sits at 1554, the i7-3770S at 1498, a gap of roughly 3.7%. In the database percentile rankings, the i3-9300 places at the 39th percentile of all CPUs, while the i7-3770S sits at the 38th percentile. For a buyer choosing between these two, the data points to the i3-9300 as the faster part in every measured workload, but not by a margin that would radically change application behavior. The i7-3770S has eight threads against four, yet that thread advantage does not translate into a multi-core win in any recorded test. The i3-9300 is the pick for anyone prioritizing raw benchmark performance, while the i7-3770S remains a viable older platform option only if the user already owns compatible hardware, since the socket and memory type differ completely.

Architecture Differences

The two processors belong to different Intel generations and use different manufacturing processes. The Core i3-9300 is built on Coffee Lake, a 14 nm process with a die size of 126 mm². The Core i7-3770S is built on Ivy Bridge, a 22 nm process with a die size of 160 mm² and 1,400 million transistors. The i3-9300 uses the Intel Socket 1151, while the i7-3770S uses the Intel Socket 1155, meaning they are not interchangeable in a motherboard. Both chips have four physical cores, but the i7-3770S supports eight threads through Hyper-Threading, while the i3-9300 has four threads total. Cache layouts are identical in structure: each core gets 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2, and both share 8 MB of L3. Memory support differs significantly. The i3-9300 supports DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus with a recorded bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i7-3770S supports DDR3 with no bandwidth figure recorded in the database. The i3-9300 also supports ECC memory, while the i7-3770S does not. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics differ as well: the i3-9300 carries the UHD 630, while the i7-3770S carries the Intel HD 4000. The i3-9300 was released in April 2019 and is marked end-of-life, while the i7-3770S was released in April 2012. Clock speeds also differ, with the i3-9300 running at 3.70 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost, versus 3.10 GHz base and 3.90 GHz boost for the i7-3770S. Thermal design power is close: 62 watts for the i3-9300 and 65 watts for the i7-3770S.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head table covers six Cinebench runs, three multi-core and three single-core. The i3-9300 wins all six. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-9300 scores 541 against 529, a 2.3% lead. In R15 single-core, it scores 76 against 74, a 2.7% lead. In R20 multi-core, the i3-9300 scores 2257 against 2205, a 2.4% lead. In R20 single-core, it scores 318 against 311, a 2.3% lead. In R23 multi-core, the i3-9300 scores 5374 against 5251, a 2.3% lead. In R23 single-core, it scores 758 against 741, a 2.3% lead. The pattern is remarkably consistent. The i7-3770S never closes the gap to less than 2.3%, and the i3-9300 never extends it beyond 2.7%. The single-core delta in R15 is the outlier at the top, while every other test sits in a narrow band. It is worth remembering the i7-3770S has an additional Geekbench entry in its benchmark list, with a multi-core score of 2220 and a single-core score of 655, but no corresponding Geekbench result exists for the i3-9300 in the database, so that test cannot be used for a direct comparison. What the Cinebench data shows is that the newer architecture and higher clock speeds of the i3-9300 overcome the thread count deficit. The i7-3770S has twice the threads, yet it still loses multi-core tests by roughly the same margin as single-core tests. This suggests the per-thread performance gap is consistent across scaling, and the Hyper-Threading advantage is not enough to offset the older Ivy Bridge design.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in several recorded fields. Process node: 14 nm for the i3-9300, 22 nm for the i7-3770S. Die size: 126 mm² versus 160 mm². Transistor count is only recorded for the i7-3770S at 1,400 million. Socket: Intel Socket 1151 versus Intel Socket 1155. Base clock: 3.70 GHz versus 3.10 GHz. Boost clock: 4.30 GHz versus 3.90 GHz. Threads: 4 versus 8. Memory support: DDR4 versus DDR3. Memory bandwidth is recorded for the i3-9300 at 38.4 GB/s, with no figure for the i7-3770S. ECC support: true for the i3-9300, false for the i7-3770S. Integrated graphics: UHD 630 versus Intel HD 4000. Release date: April 2019 versus April 2012. The i3-9300 has a launch MSRP of $143, while no launch MSRP is recorded for the i7-3770S. Both have the same L1 and L2 per-core cache sizes, the same 8 MB shared L3, the same dual-channel memory bus, the same PCIe Gen 3 16-lane configuration, and both lack an unlocked multiplier. TDP is nearly identical at 62 watts versus 65 watts. Market segment is Desktop for both. Part numbers are SRCZU for the i3-9300 and SR0PN for the i7-3770S.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i3-9300 wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It leads by 2.3% in R15 (541 versus 529), 2.4% in R20 (2257 versus 2205), and 2.3% in R23 (5374 versus 5251).

Q: Does the i7-3770S's extra threads help it win anything?

A: No. Despite having 8 threads against 4, the i7-3770S loses every recorded head-to-head test. Its best result is a 2.3% deficit in multi-core tests, which is the same margin as its single-core deficits.

Q: Are these two CPUs compatible with the same motherboards?

A: No. The i3-9300 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the i7-3770S uses Intel Socket 1155. They also use different memory types, DDR4 for the i3-9300 and DDR3 for the i7-3770S.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference?

A: The i3-9300 leads by 2.7% in Cinebench R15 single-core (76 versus 74), by 2.3% in R20 single-core (318 versus 311), and by 2.3% in R23 single-core (758 versus 741).

Q: Do both CPUs have the same cache configuration?

A: Yes. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3.

Q: Which CPU has a lower power draw?

A: The i3-9300 has a TDP of 62 watts, while the i7-3770S has a TDP of 65 watts. The difference is 3 watts.

Q: Does either CPU support ECC memory?

A: The i3-9300 supports ECC memory. The i7-3770S does not.

Q: How do these CPUs rank against all other CPUs in the database?

A: The i3-9300 sits at the 39th percentile, and the i7-3770S sits at the 38th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are 1554 and 1498 respectively.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-9300 wins every recorded benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. That makes the use-case split straightforward on paper. The i3-9300 is the stronger choice for any workload measured by Cinebench, which includes both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering tasks. Its higher base and boost clocks, 3.70 GHz and 4.30 GHz, give it an edge in single-threaded responsiveness, and its 14 nm process and newer architecture keep it ahead even when the i7-3770S can deploy its eight threads. The i3-9300 also adds ECC memory support, which matters for users running error-sensitive workloads. Its DDR4 support brings a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, a figure not available for the i7-3770S in the database, and DDR4 platforms generally offer a more modern upgrade path. The i3-9300 also has a lower TDP at 62 watts, which is a small but real efficiency advantage.

The Intel Core i7-3770S does not win any head-to-head benchmark, so its case rests on platform and legacy factors rather than measured performance. It uses DDR3 memory, which may be cheaper or already available to someone upgrading an older system. Its socket, Intel Socket 1155, belongs to an older platform, so a user moving from another Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge chip could potentially reuse a motherboard. The i7-3770S has eight threads, which the database shows does not beat the i3-9300 in Cinebench, but the thread count could still be relevant in scenarios not covered by these specific tests. The recorded Geekbench scores for the i7-3770S, 2220 multi-core and 655 single-core, are present in the database, but without a matching i3-9300 Geekbench result, no comparison can be drawn. The i7-3770S also has a larger die at 160 mm² and a transistor count of 1,400 million, which are physical characteristics rather than performance advantages.

For a user choosing strictly on benchmark data, the i3-9300 is the clear pick. It wins all six head-to-head tests, has a higher average benchmark score, ranks one percentile higher, and does so with a slightly lower TDP. The only reasons to select the i7-3770S would be platform compatibility with an existing Socket 1155 motherboard or DDR3 memory, or a need for its eight threads in applications not represented by the recorded Cinebench results. The data does not support choosing the i7-3770S for raw performance in any tested category. The margins are narrow, but they are consistent. Every single-core and multi-core test lands in favor of the i3-9300, and the percentile rankings agree. The i7-3770S was a strong processor in its era, but against the i3-9300, the recorded measurements show a uniform, if modest, defeat.